Calling all April Bandsters!!!!

[Karly1 0]

Turler--

I was just teasing you, I am sure as those of us who haven't reached the level of tightness you are at, will have the same experience sooner or later. It's good to hear the details....... that way when we do experience it, we won't panic. Thanks.... I did 9 lbs pretty quick after my fill..... I had been holding for so long at same weight........and now I am back to not having much restriction at all.. A couple of things that have helped me survive the hungries after my fill is 1- and this is the biggie, I absolutely force myself not to drink for a minimum of 45 minutes, and 2- is virginia baked ham deli slices....... I have that and a string cheese for Breakfast, and then I have some again (smaller amount) for an afternoon snack so I am not "starving" when I get home. But, even tho my scales have started moving.... and I am grateful, don't get me wrong, I want more! You would think that with the amount being consumed now in comparison to the amount consumed prior to surgery it would drop quickly. I don't know..... its just strange how it works. I just have to remember to focus on the one a week and be happy that its not gaining one a week right? :crying: I think you are doing fabulously, and I really believe that your body is fighting the good fight right now, since you can't consume much and is storing everything you eat because it thinks your starving.....you are going to wake up one morning and its going to be a huge loss, you just wait and see!

[gdf18 2]

Turler- I can only do liquids in the AM too. The nurse over at the surgeons said it's very very common for morning to be more difficult than the rest of the day. You know they hate it when you don't eat a GOOD breakfast, but I've never really like breakfast and you know what, they say "listen to your body" about everything else, why not about this?

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

HI GIRLS! I didn't mean that to be in caps.

Karly - I'm doing great since surgery. The soreness is completely gone - even that nasty glue stuff they put over my incision and the stitches are gone too. My scar looks really nasty though. Parts of my skin are puckered and raised. It doesn't look right...I'm not happy with it. How are you doing girl?

Turler - girl I'm sorry you're still in tightness hell. Have ya'll noticed everything involving phrasing with this band ends in hell...lol Sorry I went off topic for a minute there (liquid hell, mushy hell, bandster hell...now there is tightness hell)...You still have till mid July until you go back? Your doctor is insane with this "behavior modification" I'd march up there and show him some real behavior modification...Leslie can go sweet and nice to bitchy and loud in a waiting room real quick. I've only actually done it once - I'm not into scenes myself. If I were in your situation I'd sure get me to thinking about doing it though. ((hugs))

Gwenn - I hope you are doing okay too!

[Turler 6]

Good morning girls!

Karly- Thanks so much for your reply! You are too cute! I know that at some point things will start moving again, but it really is odd that the weight doesn't just fall off. I mean, we are eating a fraction of the food we used to! Weird.

L2L- Oh honey! I feel for you. My scar from my port (for chemo) is on my chest just above my right breast. It was really raised and puckered like you are describing. After I finished chemo last year I begged for the port to be removed (it really bugged me) and when they took it out they did a scar revision. It will always be a large scar and the weight of a breast will naturally 'pull' on it, but it looks so much better now. The scar revision was great...it looked like a fat earthworm (the old scar)!! He did it in the office too! Girl I feel for ya...you've had amazing weight loss, but some roadblocks along the way.

Gwenn- I too have heard that many are tight in the morning. I think it must have something to do with lying down all night and the stomach being pushed up or something. What do I know??? LOL

L2L I am having ticker troubles. I tried to make a new one like yours and the darn thing won't reflect my weight loss. I just can't seem to figure it out!

~C

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

Turler - Hey girl - I'm thinking I may need a scar revision surgery in the end. It depends on my skin and weight loss, but if I have to go to PS for any lifts or tucks I'm going to see if they can fix it. The doctor told me to use mederma (sp?) on it. I have some and am going to start using it. I hope it will help. I was also told to use Vitamin E on it - I think that works for stretch marks, I'm not sure about raised scars.

I haven't lost anything in almost a month. I'm trying not to get discouraged. I'll admit part has been my fault. I did great for three weeks and then last week came. DH and I ate out every night. My girls were in Florida visiting with the grandparents (my mom and dad). We ate BAD food - I'm talking Steakhouses, Italian, pizza, bread, Red Lobster. Things I don't need to be eating...although I didn't eat much of those things (the band kept me from doing that - YEA!). Then this past weekend we went to the beach...that didn't help me any! I still feel guilty about last week. I didn't log my foods, because I knew I'd done bad. I should go back and find out the calories...it keeps me accountable, but the past is the past and I'm determined to put it behind me.

I was shocked and still am that I haven't gained anything! I just knew I'd gained some weight on Thursday when I weighed in. I know what to do though - this week is a new week and I'm starting over.

On the ticker. Go to the site and setup an account. It will ask for your weight. Enter your ORIGINAL weight (before surgery), not where you are now. Then when you make your ticker enter your current weight. I don't think you can backtrack for your ticker. Let me know if that helps you...If not we'll try something else.

[gdf18 2]

Hi Leslie (and everyone!)

I'm going great. scale moved today- down 41- need to change my siggie. Now, what can I complain about....hmmmm.....need to be able to have sex without port pain.......hmmm.....nope, that's about it right now- LOL. Actually going well. Gave away a bunch of too big clothes!! That's really good for one's head.

How is everyone else today?

[Brandy~ 2]

Morning all. I have been stalled at the 28 pounds lost for many weeks till this week I had lost 1 pounds so up to 29. I am hoping that means the scale will continue to go down since my last fill.

I had a fill on 6/18 and now I never feel hunger, remind myself to eat, drink my max Water, and exercise 5x per week atleast 1 hour each with cardio....

If the scale doesn't start budging more soon I will really have to reevaluate what I am doing.

I guess that brings on a question of mine. I checked my dailyplate log and it seems I am burning off most of what I take in. Yesterday I ended up with a net calorie intake of 104. I ate a ton but it was just 'healthy' foods so I hope I am not doing something wrong lol

I should add I get about 50+ Protein that my doc requires and 64 ounces of water.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Brandy~

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

Brandy - Hi. First of all you're doing great! I'm stuck too, although I know why I am. I don't think you're doing anything wrong. Sometimes our bodies take longer to adjust to change.

How many calories a day did you eat pre-op? For me I'd guess 3000+, seriously!

How many calories are you consuming now?

Maybe you need to change things up a bit every now and then. Your body may have actually adjusted and says - hey this is how it is now. It may need a little change to trigger your "metabolism". What that trigger is would be up to you. Up your calories for a couple of days (I don't mean blow your diet or anything). Or change your exercise routine...do something a little different. Those are things that I do when I get in a rut. They sometimes help me.

[Brandy~ 2]

Brandy - Hi. First of all you're doing great! I'm stuck too, although I know why I am. I don't think you're doing anything wrong. Sometimes our bodies take longer to adjust to change.

How many calories a day did you eat pre-op? For me I'd guess 3000+, seriously!

How many calories are you consuming now?

Maybe you need to change things up a bit every now and then. Your body may have actually adjusted and says - hey this is how it is now. It may need a little change to trigger your "metabolism". What that trigger is would be up to you. Up your calories for a couple of days (I don't mean blow your diet or anything). Or change your exercise routine...do something a little different. Those are things that I do when I get in a rut. They sometimes help me.

I take in around 1000-1200 calories per day. I have really aggressive workouts though and end up burning alot of calories.. Combined with the fact that I am riding my bike 13.5 miles to/from work. Yesterday I tried to take in more calories by eating more of the healthy foods and really had a hard time. I seriously made it a full time job making sure to eat so many times yesterday. I never thought I would complain about having to eat more :sad_smile:

I understand what you mean with mixing it up. I was going to stick to my schedule this week and see if the scale budges again... if not I am going change it up.. switch my food and exercise.

Oh I forgot to answer your question about prebanding calories. I ate a ton.. not sure where I put it but I am sure I could do 3k calories before.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Brandy~

[Karly1 0]

Hi Everyone! How's everyone?

Brandy-- HOLY COW did you say 13.5 miles? I may have to go lie down for a while on your behalf. That is fabulous, and I am in awe!

Turler-- I had problems with the ticker too, I like those better. I may try again with Leslie's new instructions. Your right it is weird, and it just isn't fair, I swear you can gain weight a whole lost quicker/easier than you can lose it. Weight should be pouring off all of us with this change, especially with you now that your so tight. I just know my Dr. is going to be that way with me when I hit tight and like L2L- I might have to snap. ha.

L2L- Ha! Well hell you might be right about the stages of bandster hell, lol. My scar at my port site is weird. It is raised at some points, but not others, and it will suddenly flatten down in those spots and then raise back up. It gets tender in those areas when that occurs too. It's purple looking I guess it will for a while. when I got my fill I had bruising occur beside my port towards my belly button it looked like two parallel lines and has just now faded. I'm weird I know. Now, as for your vacation time.... lighten up on yourself. You didn't gain... you have to cut loose every now and then (at least I think so)..... you didn't go crazy, and what proves your willpower and determination is looking forward and getting right back on the bandwagon, literally, HA!

I like other posts could eat 3,000 plus calories a day.

Thank God for the BAND! :sad_smile:!

[Blund 0]

My scale is stuck too. Its very discouraging. I don't get my 2nd fill until 7/9, but I'm on a cancellation list. I feel some tightness in the morning, but my 2 cups of coffee & Vitamin go down fine. I wait then eat something small. By lunch time I'm hungry though. I FINALLY had a couple of people notice that I've lost, which is nice to hear. I'm expecting to feel real restriction with my 2nd fill.

[Lizalee 1]

My scale is worse than stuck...it's going backwards! The past 4 days it's gone up. I guess I can't really blame it, since I ate 1300 cals yesterday and 1700 today! (ate out for lunch at a very unhealthy place ...but that greasy broasted chicken tasted pretty good!)

I have to wait 3 more weeks for a fill...this is going to take willpower! I've also had a sore back and am tired...don't feel like walking.

OK, there, I'm done whining and I feel better for the moment.

[Blund 0]

Lizalee, I think you should get a refund for your scale!!!

lol

[Winegoddesstx 0]

I finally got back on the scale for the first time since Jun 1. I haven't gained weight but I certainly haven't lost any either. I was traveling so much (vacation in Italy, and then work stuff) and eating out that I just knew the news would not be good. I'm going to try and get my second fill in this week since I will be able to stay at home and better control what I'm eating/drinking.

Time to get back on the program!

[Lizalee 1]

RE: Refund for scale! LOL! If only it was that easy!!!

Actually, I spent the last 3 days at a horse show, hauling stuff, lots of walking, and having very little "real food" (ate high Protein granola bars and stuff like that on the run). Thankfully, my scale is working again, and I'm back down a few pounds.

AND, my BMI is under 40 for the first time in decades!! Yippe!!!